I don't doubt that many women of the early and middle centuries (and beyond, even) found themselves nuns for all the reasons you list.

Doubtless there's also scholarship to support the assumption that some women of the middle ages did enter cloistered life of their own agency, to the extent that they had any. Many probably felt "called" to a life of piety and prayer. When you consider that the only other alternative was being married off (probably at a very young age) to likely an older man at the father's arrangement, consigned to a life of continual pregnancy, childbirth, child-rearing, near-servitude, and early death (often in childbirth), I would think that the nunnery would be a modestly attractive alternative. At least it offered the opportunity for scholarly endeavors, music, and companionship.

I say "amen" to your post.

Interesting the notion of monastic/religious life for the elderly-- or those widowed with grown children who aren't yet ready for the term "elderly").

The order of sisters that I'm most familiar with certainly welcomed women with a "late vocation" but it was always a bit of a dicey thing if the vocation arrived too late since retired religious have to depend on so few funds with which to care for the health & housing needs of their own elderly. Often the late arrivals were women with their own financial means, donated for the good of the rest of the community, to help support their own declining years.

And best wishes to Mr. Murphy. I don't live in NY state but sent some $$$ to his campaign after Tedisco trotted out "9/11" in his campaign ads and tied it to Murphy's opposition to the death penalty. If his win helps persuade would-be candidates not to use that day to score cheap political points, then good all around.

And I'm damn proud of it.

I'm saddened by the bloodshed, the killings, the beatings. But, how amazing to watch people come out in such force and number in protest of what looks like a grossly fixed election.

This puts the final laugh to the notion that America is the exporter of "democracy" when we are so clearly being schooled in what citizen action really looks like. We don't know yet what may come out of all of this upheaval, but kudos to the Iranian people for their bravery.

and allow people to click to view or not. Thank you.

and peace be with you.

Thank you for serving the world and America with such integrity, intelligence and wit.

You were the trusted evening voice of my childhood, and there will never be another like you.

Fellow Democrats, but especially those with a elected title and a microphone, fight with all your heart & gizzard, show teeth, show spine to these ridiculous, deluded, backwards people.

One of the posters on Salon wrote recently (sorry, I can't remember now who it was -- but kudos to you for the pithy quote) "I'm tired of greedy people using stupid people to thwart progress." Something like that.

Anyway, thank you Mr. Frank!

And anyway, not just Democrats, but anyone who wants society to progress, not regress.

All we need is 50 Senators, plus VP Biden.

The "hard time" Dems are having passing this reform is due to their anatomy, notably the spine and gonads.

We are really sunk as a nation.

Of course, the wag in me can't help but wonder whether the now pinky-free fellow has sufficient health insurance that the bill for said re-pinkification won't take his arm and a leg too.

Maybe the anti-reform, presumably anti-government-in-my-health-care chap has Medicare to cover all?

Wouldn't that be "two sets of five friends each on a camping trip?"

Just sayin'.... ;-)

Thanks for the greatest laugh. I woke the dog.

Gotta be either NASA bombing the moon or the heads of countless Repups exploding at once.

I'm so proud of our president!